Literal Translation
Let’s go back to sheep
Actual Meaning
Back to the topic at hand
Etymology
This expression comes directly from La Farce de Maître Pathelin, a play written in the Middle Ages, around 1460. In this play, a shepherd is accused of not taking proper care of someone else’s sheep. During his trial, the shepherd constantly diverts the subject of the conversation, prompting the judge to say ‘let’s get back to our sheep’ in order to refocus the debate. The Farce de Patelin was a great success and this phrase was taken up in literature and then in everyday language as a reference.